SZ635

BY JIM DAWSON

AUGUST 8, 2016

TAKING STOCK

So exactly where is this 2016 Red Sox team? We have seen the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Our ace is Rick Porcello and #1A is Stephen Wright. Our erstwhile ace, David Price, is pitching just well enough to lose, aided and abetted by poor managing from John ‘I’m Only Along for the Ride’ Farrell, and a defense that has failed Price in two of his three road starts. Yesterday, the key play was Bogaerts’ throw to Holt at 3^rd . While low, Holt should have handled it and tagged out the overly aggressive Adrian Gonzalez. It changed the outcome of the inning and the game. Of his 3 road starts, Price really labored Sunday. 100 pitches in 5 innings! 5 walks when he walked one in his previous 2 starts! 3 earned runs out of 6 (3 errors).

Now before the unfaithful go off on Price, recall that except for a poor throw by Hanley (a rare mistake), Daniel Nava would have hit into a double play and Price, who gave up 7 hits in 8 innings, wins 1-0. Sorry David, not to be. And in the 5-4 loss to the Mariners, the Sox blew a 4-0 lead when ‘Flummoxing’ Farrell left Price in too long. After allowing 3 hits through 7, Price gives up 4 straight hits including a homer to Zunino, a guy he owned. The bottom 3 in the order and then Heredia. Gee, John, do you think maybe after the first two hits removal might have been a consideration?

I’m not worried about David Price. The starting pitching on the 11 game trip was much better. With Kimbrel’s return, the bullpen is stabilizing, though susceptible to Farrell’s mismanagement. Even ‘Bullpen’ Buchy is pitching better.

Now comes a stretch where the Sox are at home against the Yankees (3) and the Diamondbacks (3), neither of them good teams. But we’ve seen the Ugly when the Sox play down to the level of their opponent. They need to win 4-5 of those 6 games.

The road trip that follows got weirder because of the 1 game makeup Monday in Cleveland before Baltimore (2) Detroit (4) and the Rays (4), whom the Sox play 7 times in August (roll’em). The Red Sox are 1 of 4 AL teams with a winning road record. Unfortunately, one of the others is Toronto (and Cleveland and Texas).

August will reveal whether this 2016 edition of the Red Sox can make the playoffs.

BULLETS

• Hats off to Andrew Benintendi, who has had a 2-hit game and on Sunday had 3-hits and his first 2 RBI.

• The veteran Sox need to stay healthy. Recent injuries to Hanley, who was starting to hit, Pedey and allowing Ortiz to play 1B when he’s ailing (‘Flummoxing’ Farrell again) hasn’t helped.

• Going through my ticket stubs, I found one for the Red Sox vs Texas Rangers (May 5, 1989). Roger Clemens vs. Nolan Ryan. Clemens and the Red Sox beat Ryan 7-6. Ellis Burks knocked in the go ahead run and Nick Esasky plated the winning run. Mike Greenwell had 2 homers (3 RBI) vs. Ryan. Bob Stanley saved the game. Joe Morgan was the manager. Ticket price for Seat 1, Row EE behind home plate? $12.00.

• OK so my Top 5 American bands (and then another 5):

(1) the Eagles (2) Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (3) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (4) the Allman Brothers (5) the Beach Boys. Then (6) Steely Dan (7) Creedence Clearwater Revival (8) the Byrds (9) Little Feat and (10) Grateful Dead.

• The boxers at the Olympics will not wear head guards per Ken Belson (NY Times – 8/7). The AIBA eliminated them(2013) supposedly because there were more head shots.

E-MAIL (Last Issue’s Quiz)

Roy Head Roy Head and the Traits, Treat Her Right. I'm on a roll! Rick Nadeau

Right on. Treat Her Right by Roy Head and the Traits. 1965. One of my favorite oldies. A band I follow, Tanya McIntyre and the Professors, play the song. - Z

Found the You Tube video – great stuff! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GcOMAG0w5Q&list=RD1GcOMAG0w5Q#t=37

Rick Nadeau
Rick, You ain't seen nuthin', baby! Here are 2 videos of Roy Head doing Treat Her Right. Here is the 1st one. Sounds like Dick Clark doing the intro.
When Roy jumps off the stage, watch his footwork (and splits). Amazing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BLQgQNuN-M

Here is the 2nd video of Roy Head doing Treat Her Right. It's from a Shindig episode. Again watch the footwork. This guy has some moves. James Brown would have been proud. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep5BiNJE0a0 - Z

THE HOT CLUB

Dr. John was wearing a T shirt that read ‘Rhode Island: 3% bigger at low tide’. Captain Jack observed that it’s close to the truth as there is a 10 foot difference between low and high tide, especially during a full moon.

I was talking about the guy who got killed driving a Tesla with auto pilot. The auto pilot didn’t pick up a white truck that crossed in front of him. I told Charlie Clancy that there were reports the ‘driver’ was watching a movie on a DVD player. Charlie wondered what DVD he was watching. Keep your mind on your driving and hands on the wheel.

Charlie then brought up that he would like to see a Chicago Cubs – Boston Red Sox World Series (me too). At first Charlie said he hoped that the Cubs would win, but then changed it to the Red Sox – a little more pain for the Cubs and their fans. I agreed – The Curse of the Goat. Let the Cubs win the following year (unless the Sox are in it).

Mike Module and I were talking about the 1986 Red Sox team that is being honored in its 30th anniversary year. So naturally the name Bill Buckner came up. I blame manager John McNamara for still having the creaky kneed Buckner in the game in the 10^th inning, and Calvin Schiraldi for not getting the 3^rd out while facing 3 successive batters. Anyway I told the Module that Buckner took it hard. So the Module said, ‘Yeah he was suicidal. Stepped in front of a bus, but it went through his legs’.

We were talking about music videos and I said that I thought the best was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers doing Don’t Come Around Here No More. Britt overheard me and said she likes the new video with Anthony Hopkins and Mudcrutch, Petty’s ‘other’ band.

LAST ISSUE’S QUIZ ANSWER

If you read the E-Mail section you know that the answer to the singer with a #2 song that sold over 4 million records was Roy Head and the Traits (1965). Rick Nadeau was the only reader with the right answer. And this despite me asking two members of the Professors, who perform the song (and telling them that), and they still didn’t get it. Their identities will remain anonymous to protect the guilty.

THIS ISSUE’S QUIZ

Two men with the same name have contributed to music, but in different formats. One was the lead guitarist for a British band known for its anthemic music. The other was responsible for the soundtracks of two of the best apocalyptic movies ever. Name?

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